Primus Machabaeorum 14

VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Anno centesimo septuagesimo secundo, congregavit rex Demetrius exercitum suum, et abiit in Mediam ad contrahenda sibi auxilia, ut expugnaret Tryphonem.	1 In the year one hundred and seventy-two, King Demetrius assembled his army and marched into Media to obtain help so that he could fight Trypho.
2 Et audivit Arsaces rex Persidis et Mediæ, quia intravit Demetrius confines suos : et misit unum de principibus suis ut comprehenderet eum vivum, et adduceret eum ad se.	2 When Arsaces, king of Persia and Media, heard that Demetrius had invaded his territory, he sent one of his generals to take him alive.
3 Et abiit, et percussit castra Demetrii : et comprehendit eum, et duxit eum ad Arsacem, et posuit eum in custodiam.	3 The general went forth and defeated the army of Demetrius; he captured him and brought him to Arsaces, who put him in prison.
4 Et siluit omnis terra Juda omnibus diebus Simonis, et quæsivit bona genti suæ : et placuit illis potestas ejus et gloria ejus omnibus diebus.	4 The land was at rest all the days of Simon, who sought the good of his nation. His people were delighted with his power and his magnificence throughout his reign.
5 Et cum omni gloria sua accepit Joppen in portum, et fecit introitum in insulis maris.	5 As his crowning glory he captured the port of Joppa and made it a gateway to the isles of the sea.
6 Et dilatavit fines gentis suæ, et obtinuit regionem.	6 He enlarged the borders of his nation and gained control of the country.
7 Et congregavit captivitatem multam, et dominatus est Gazaræ, et Bethsuræ, et arci : et abstulit immunditias ex ea, et non erat qui resisteret ei.	7 He took many enemies prisoners of war and made himself master of Gazara, Beth-zur, and the citadel. He cleansed the citadel of its impurities; there was no one to withstand him.
8 Et unusquisque colebat terram suam cum pace : et terra Juda dabat fructus suos, et ligna camporum fructum suum.	8 The people cultivated their land in peace; the land yielded its produce and the trees of the field their fruit.
9 Seniores in plateis sedebant omnes, et de bonis terræ tractabant, et juvenes induebant se gloriam, et stolas belli.	9 Old men sat in the squares, all talking about the good times, while the young men wore the glorious apparel of war.
10 Et civitatibus tribuebat alimonias, et constituebat eas ut essent vasa munitionis quoadusque nominatum est nomen gloriæ ejus usque ad extremum terræ.	10 He supplied the cities with food and equipped them with means of defense, till his glorious name reached the ends of the earth.
11 Fecit pacem super terram, et lætatus est Israël lætitia magna.	11 He brought peace to the land, and Israel was filled with happiness.
12 Et sedit unusquisque sub vite sua, et sub ficulnea sua : et non erat qui eos terreret.	12 Every man sat under his vine and his fig tree, with no one to disturb him.
13 Defecit impugnans eos super terram : reges contriti sunt in diebus illis.	13 No one was left to attack them in their land; the kings in those days were crushed.
14 Et confirmavit omnes humiles populi sui, et legem exquisivit, et abstulit omnem iniquum et malum :	14 He strengthened all the lowly among his people and was zealous for the law; he suppressed all the lawless and the wicked.
15 sancta glorificavit, et multiplicavit vasa sanctorum.	15 He made the temple splendid and enriched its equipment.
16 Et auditum est Romæ quia defunctus esset Jonathas, et usque in Spartiatas : et contristati sunt valde.	16 When people heard in Rome and even in Sparta that Jonathan had died, they were deeply grieved.
17 Ut audierunt autem quod Simon frater ejus factus esset summus sacerdos loco ejus, et ipse obtineret omnem regionem, et civitates in ea,	17 But when the Romans heard that his brother Simon had been made high priest in his place and was master of the country and the cities,
18 scripserunt ad eum in tabulis æreis, ut renovarent amicitias et societatem quam fecerant cum Juda et cum Jonatha, fratribus ejus.	18 they sent him inscribed tablets of bronze to renew with him the friendship and alliance that they had established with his brothers Judas and Jonathan.
19 Et lectæ sunt in conspectu ecclesiæ in Jerusalem. Et hoc exemplum epistolarum, quas Spartiatæ miserunt :	19 These were read before the assembly in Jerusalem.
20 Spartianorum principes et civitates, Simoni sacerdoti magno, et senioribus, et sacerdotibus, et reliquo populo Judæorum, fratribus, salutem.	20 This is a copy of the letter that the Spartans sent: "The rulers and the citizens of Sparta send greetings to Simon the high priest, the elders, the priests, and the rest of the Jewish people, our brothers.
21 Legati, qui missi sunt ad populum nostrum, nuntiaverunt nobis de vestra gloria, et honore, ac lætitia : et gavisi sumus in introitu eorum.	21 The envoys you sent to our people have informed us of your glory and fame, and we were happy that they came.
22 Et scripsimus quæ ab eis erant dicta in conciliis populi, sic : Numenius Antiochi, et Antipater Jasonis filius, legati Judæorum, venerunt ad nos, renovantes nobiscum amicitiam pristinam.	22 In accordance with what they said we have recorded the following in the public decrees: Since Numenius, son of Antiochus, and Antipater, son of Jason, envoys of the Jews, have come to us to renew their friendship with us,
23 Et placuit populo excipere viros gloriose, et ponere exemplum sermonum eorum in segregatis populi libris, ut sit ad memoriam populo Spartiatarum. Exemplum autem horum scripsimus Simoni magno sacerdoti.	23 the people have voted to receive the men with honor, and to deposit a copy of their words in the public archives, so that the people of Sparta may have a record of them. A copy of this decree has been made for Simon the high priest."
24 Post hæc autem misit Simon Numenium Romam, habentem clypeum aureum magnum, pondo mnarum mille, ad statuendam cum eis societatem. Cum autem audisset populus Romanus	24 After this, Simon sent Numenius to Rome with a great gold shield weighing a thousand minas, to confirm the alliance with the Romans.
25 sermones istos, dixerunt : Quam gratiarum actionem reddemus Simoni, et filiis ejus ?	25 When the people heard of these things, they said, "How can we thank Simon and his sons?
26 restituit enim ipse fratres suos, et expugnavit inimicos Israël ab eis, et statuerunt ei libertatem, et descripserunt in tabulis æreis, et posuerunt in titulis in monte Sion.	26 He and his brothers and his father's house have stood firm and repulsed Israel's enemies. They have thus preserved its liberty." So they made an inscription on bronze tablets, which they affixed to pillars on Mount Zion.
27 Et hoc est exemplum scripturæ : Octavadecima die mensis Elul, anno centesimo septuagesimo secundo, anno tertio sub Simone sacerdote magno in Asaramel,	27 The following is a copy of the inscription: "On the eighteenth day of Elul, in the year one hundred and seventy-two, that is, the third year under Simon the high priest in Asaramel,
28 in conventu magno sacerdotum, et populi, et principum gentis, et seniorum regionis, nota facta sunt hæc : quoniam frequenter facta sunt prælia in regione nostra,	28 in a great assembly of priests, people, rulers of the nation, and elders of the country, the following proclamation was made:
29 Simon autem Mathathiæ filius, ex filiis Jarib, et fratres ejus, dederunt se periculo, et restiterunt adversariis gentis suæ, ut starent sancta ipsorum, et lex : et gloria magna glorificaverunt gentem suam.	29 "'Since there have often been wars in our country, Simon, son of the priest Mattathias, descendant of Joarib, and his brothers have put themselves in danger and resisted the enemies of their nation, so that their sanctuary and law might be maintained, and they have thus brought great glory to their nation.
30 Et congregavit Jonathas gentem suam, et factus est illis sacerdos magnus, et appositus est ad populum suum.	30 After Jonathan had rallied his nation and become their high priest, he was gathered to his kinsmen.
31 Et voluerunt inimici eorum calcare et atterere regionem ipsorum, et extendere manus in sancta eorum.	31 When the enemies of the Jews sought to invade and devastate their country and to lay hands on their temple,
32 Tunc restitit Simon, et pugnavit pro gente sua, et erogavit pecunias multas, et armavit viros virtutis gentis suæ, et dedit illis stipendia :	32 Simon rose up and fought for his nation, spending large sums of his own money to equip the men of his nation's armed forces and giving them their pay.
33 et munivit civitates Judææ, et Bethsuram, quæ erat in finibus Judææ, ubi erant arma hostium antea : et posuit illic præsidium viros Judæos.	33 He fortified the cities of Judea, especially the frontier city of Beth-zur, where he stationed a garrison of Jewish soldiers, and where previously the enemy's arms had been stored.
34 Et Joppen munivit, quæ erat ad mare, et Gazaram, quæ est in finibus Azoti, in qua hostes antea habitabant : et collocavit illic Judæos, et quæcumque apta erant ad correptionem eorum, posuit in eis.	34 He also fortified Joppa by the sea and Gazara on the border of Azotus, a place previously occupied by the enemy; these cities he resettled with Jews, and furnished them with all that was necessary for their restoration.
35 Et vidit populus actum Simonis, et gloriam quam cogitabat facere genti suæ, et posuerunt eum ducem suum, et principem sacerdotum, eo quod ipse fecerat hæc omnia, et justitiam, et fidem, quam conservavit genti suæ, et exquisivit omni modo exaltare populum suum.	35 When the Jewish people saw Simon's loyalty and the glory he planned to bring to his nation, they made him their leader and high priest because of all he had accomplished and the loyalty and justice he had shown his nation. In every way he sought to exalt his people.
36 Et in diebus ejus prosperatum est in manibus ejus, ut tollerentur gentes de regione ipsorum, et qui in civitate David erant, in Jerusalem in arce, de qua procedebant, et contaminabant omnia quæ in circuitu sanctorum sunt, et inferebant plagam magnam castitati :	36 "'In his time and under his guidance they succeeded in driving the Gentiles out of their country, especially those in the City of David in Jerusalem, who had built for themselves a citadel from which they used to sally forth to defile the environs of the temple and inflict grave injury on its purity.
37 et collocavit in ea viros Judæos ad tutamentum regionis, et civitatis, et exaltavit muros Jerusalem.	37 In this citadel he stationed Jewish soldiers, and he strengthened its fortifications for the defense of the land and the city, while he also raised the wall of Jerusalem to a greater height.
38 Et rex Demetrius statuit illi summum sacerdotium.	38 Consequently, King Demetrius confirmed him in the high priesthood,
39 Secundum hæc fecit eum amicum suum, et glorificavit eum gloria magna.	39 made him one of his Friends, and conferred the highest honors on him.
40 Audivit enim quod appellati sunt Judæi a Romanis amici, et socii, et fratres, et quia susceperunt legatos Simonis gloriose,	40 He had indeed heard that the Romans had addressed the Jews as friends, allies, and brothers and that they had received Simon's envoys with honor.
41 et quia Judæi et sacerdotes eorum consenserunt eum esse ducem suum, et summum sacerdotem in æternum, donec surgat propheta fidelis :	41 "'The Jewish people and their priest have, therefore, made the following decisions. Simon shall be their permanent leader and high priest until a true prophet arises.
42 et ut sit super eos dux, et ut cura esset illi pro sanctis, et ut constitueret præpositos super opera eorum, et super regionem, et super arma, et super præsidia :	42 He shall act as governor general over them, and shall have charge of the temple, to make regulations concerning its functions and concerning the country, its weapons and strongholds,
43 et cura sit illi de sanctis : et ut audiatur ab omnibus, et scribantur in nomine ejus omnes conscriptiones in regione : et ut operiatur purpura et auro :	43 he shall be obeyed by all. All contracts made in the country shall be dated by his name. He shall have the right to wear royal purple and gold ornaments.
44 et ne liceat ulli ex populo et ex sacerdotibus irritum facere aliquid horum, et contradicere his quæ ab eo dicuntur, aut convocare conventum in regione sine ipso, et vestiri purpura, et uti fibula aurea :	44 It shall not be lawful for any of the people or priests to nullify any of these decisions, or to contradict the orders given by him, or to convene an assembly in the country without his consent, to be clothed in royal purple or wear an official gold brooch.
45 qui autem fecerit extra hæc, aut irritum fecerit aliquid horum, reus erit.	45 Whoever acts otherwise or violates any of these prescriptions shall be liable to punishment.
46 Et complacuit omni populo statuere Simonem, et facere secundum verba ista.	46 "'All the people approved of granting Simon the right to act in accord with these decisions,
47 Et suscepit Simon, et placuit ei ut summo sacerdotio fungeretur, et esset dux et princeps gentis Judæorum, et sacerdotum, et præesset omnibus.	47 and Simon accepted and agreed to act as high priest, governor general, and ethnarch of the Jewish people and priests and to exercise supreme authority over all.'"
48 Et scripturam istam dixerunt ponere in tabulis æreis, et ponere eas in peribolo sanctorum, in loco celebri :	48 It was decreed that this inscription should be engraved on bronze tablets, to be set up in a conspicuous place in the precincts of the temple,
49 exemplum autem eorum ponere in ærario, ut habeat Simon, et filii ejus.	49 and that copies of it should be deposited in the treasury, where they would be available to Simon and his sons.